Comments on: The Elder Scrolls Online will have monthly subscriptionshttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/
VG247.comTue, 29 Jul 2014 08:36:38 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.1By: McLovinhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-540958
Sun, 22 Sep 2013 08:06:25 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-540958Has no one played GW2? The Buy to play model is the only one that makes any sense. You’re buying an online game to play, you’re not receiving a new game every month like when you subscribe for other things such as magazines… The subscription model is the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever seen.
]]>By: brfyr5http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-535214
Sat, 07 Sep 2013 04:33:26 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-535214If final fantasy xiv requires a monthly subscription then TESO will have one too. I don’t get why people think TESO is the same as F2P. You still have to pay 60 bucks for the game. So it’s not free. Also it’s just speculation that you won’t need PS Plus to play the game, either way you’ll be paying for a subscription with or without PS Plus.
]]>By: budoshihttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-527735
Thu, 22 Aug 2013 13:30:12 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-527735@ 28 check again *cough* 16 *couch*
]]>By: Dargothhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-527619
Thu, 22 Aug 2013 10:21:57 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-527619To the comments about TSW and Marvel Heroes. Somehow you all forgot Guild Wars 2
]]>By: Stardoghttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-527461
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 22:43:34 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-527461EverQuest Next is the game for those who aren’t into these kind of generic MMO’s.
]]>By: viralshaghttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-527099
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 15:02:03 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-527099@25, Wow.
]]>By: Phoenixblighthttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-527084
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 14:46:23 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-527084@24

There was another article where parents in africa had killed their children due to them playing DDO.

Your trolling is boring at this point, but you did actually say something mildly profound, there.

See, I can agree that SOE are always trying new and interesting things. They have been since day one. I wouldn’t dream of arguing with that. There was a point where you could see how SOE was trying to be Blizzard, around the Everquest II era, as EQ II was all about expansions, subscriptions, grinding, and greed.

However, they’re also responsible for PlanetSide, PlanetSide 2, Free Realms, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Dragon’s Prophet, and Everquest Next. Some of those I still have issue with and take umbrage at, but there’s no denying that each of those games was, at the time, something new.

Free Realms is something that I lost way too many months too as it was a compelling experience about something other than killing everything in sight for a change. And it actually had half decent writing, which shocked me considering that it was a kid’s games. The blatantly dark undertones in some of the areas shocked me — such as the fairies who were using mind controlling drugs on everyone to make them happy and to force them to have fun, some are on the cusp of freaking out but they always receive a new supply of ‘party foods’ just in time.

“Why was I angry? I… forget. Hm. Oh well! PAR-TAY!” *shiver.*

But yeah, I have some good memories thanks to Sony’s offerings, and I’m intrigued by Everquest Next.

The thing is is that Sony hasn’t always had good ideas — Everquest II is an awful mess of grind and greed, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes deserved to fail for reasons which become obvious when playing it. Dragon’s Prophet just feels like the humans are only there so that objectified tit fests can be a thing, and it feels like the game would be much more fun if you controlled the dragon directly… but still.

They do have ideas, at least. Even if not always good ones. Even if sometimes really bad ones. They are trying.

Play either The Secret World or Marvel Heroes and tell me how the microtransactions ruin them.

Furthermore, both games give you game-shop money to buy stuff without actually putting down real money. The first time I quickly reached 600 eternity splinters in Marvel Heroes without even trying, I was stunned. Likewise, I was shocked when The Secret World dropped enough game-shop money in my lap at one point to buy a complete outfit.

Microtransactions don’t ruin MMOs. Greedy business plans do. And often you’ll find more greedy business plans in a subscription MMO than you will in a free to play one.

The Secret World and Marvel Heroes are doing a good job at that. Check them out!

I’ll warn you about some iffy writing and sometimes dull combat in TSW, though, but still it’s definitely worth it for the research, exploration, puzzling, and deck-building stuff.

And if you like dungeon crawler/loot hoarder style games (like Torchlight II) then Marvel Heroes is a blast. It’s an amazingly fun game. And the new survival maps they put in are hilarious and definitely worth seeing.

Like Torchlight though, MH is more fun if you go into it with friends.

The problem with that is is that it’s going to be designed in that precious way that all operant conditioning-based MMOs are. All that a subscription and levels says to me any more is ‘hey, our game isn’t really all that fun to just play, so we’re using carrot-on-a-stick compulsion as a replacement for enjoyable gameplay.‘

I’ve played MMOs where that isn’t the case, where the base of the game is actually fun. The two that I’ve been sticking with lately are Marvel Heroes and The Secret World. Marvel Heroes has levels, but they’re hilariously just cosmetic. See, a lady friend and I brought another friend into Marvel Heroes — we were around 15, his character was level 3. It made next to no difference. In TotalBiscuit’s Marvel Heroes video, he also commented on how levels were cosmetic, and how he brought a low level Wolverine into a higher level area.

That’s just something you can do. And there’s no grind in that game because loot drops like candy. And often loot actually gives you abilities that you haven’t even unlocked yet via ‘levelling,’ so it’s all the funnier. So without an operant conditioning basis to play Marvel Heroes, why stay? Because it’s actually fun to play, damn it! It’s fun to play in precisely the same way that Torchlight II is.

Except I’ve been playing Marvel Heroes a lot more than Torchlight II, because I can’t pick up and throw cars in Torchlight II. And you all know how much I love TL II.

So the only two MMOs I’ve stuck with in the longest time have no subscription, and either no levels or inconsequential levels, thus removing the feeling of vertical progression. I don’t feel like I’m actually climbing to some power plateau where I can finally have fun, instead I’m actually just having fun.

That’s the distinction.

If you were to pick up TSW or MH, you’d start having fun right away. If you were to pick up Wilstar or Elder Scrolls Online, you’d feel pressured to reach the power plateau, the max level with the best gear. You’d grind, and grind, and not really be having fun. You’d feel stressed, and irritable, and you’d just push yourself. And when you finally do reach the power plateau you’ll just force yourself to play the game then even though it isn’t fun because you earned it.

How do I know this? I have a roomie that became addicted to WoW, and I kept asking him why he did so.

“Why do you grind?”
“I have to reach max level, that’s when the fun starts.”
“Why are you grinding now?”
“I have to get consumable sets to have fun with a raid.”
“Why are you grinding now?”
“Gear to beat the next raid, they said the next raid is really fun.”
“Why are you grinding now?”
“I need consumable sets to help my friends beat the next raid.”
“Why are you grinding now?”
“Gear to–”
“Wait, wasn’t this supposed to be that magical point you told me about where you could stop grinding and start actually having fun?”
“…shut up, I’m busy.”

And so it went.

Some people are weak-willed like that, but that does nothing for me. I can see through it and I find it very transparent. So all a game with vertical progression and operant conditioning-based compulsion ever does? It just makes me bored. Bored, bored, bored. Why buy an unfun, boring game?

I’ll stick to games without subscriptions and/or levels, thanks.

I finally realise what makes a good MMO, I’m just waiting for everyone else to catch up and realise that they’re not having fun.

]]>By: Kreionhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-527011
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:51:40 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-527011Mmmm This may not be the best decision for them. Sure they have a big franchise behind them, but when you have games like GW2 already going F2P and Everquest: Next coming out which will also be F2P…why would I want to pay a subscription fee?
]]>By: budoshihttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-527010
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:50:40 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-527010I always wonder why ncsoft a ka areanet a ka guild wars 1 – 2 can be no monthy fee but all others noooooooooooooooooooooo we cant… screw it i wont touch it t ill it comes f2p wich it probably will anyway.
]]>By: Blue Onihttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526992
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:17:26 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526992This was going to flop anyway but now it will flop even harder.
]]>By: super3001http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526991
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:17:05 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526991paid sub = doa.

it will change to f2p before release

]]>By: lookingglasshttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526986
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:11:28 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526986What a relief. That just gave this game a chance at greatness.
]]>By: _LarZen_http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526978
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:51:54 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526978This means I now have faith in the game, F2P games are cancer in the gaming industry.
]]>By: dsrhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526956
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:20:06 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526956@7
You forgot RIFT, SWTOR and Secret World.
]]>By: Blackened Halohttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526951
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:11:37 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526951thanks god they can use their brains yet
]]>By: ps3fanboyhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526949
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:07:54 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526949using a monthly fee is so 2005 stone age, this game will be Dead On Arrival.. nice reading about it thou… but RIP ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’ 2013.
]]>By: backuphttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526947
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:07:06 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526947@2
why don’t ask casual wow and eve online PC beggars first
]]>By: Sunshymehttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526945
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:04:31 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526945Opinions vs stupidity. I don’t like microtransactions either. However, the fact that you have monthly payments doesn’t make it a great game. Age of Conan, Lord of the Rings Online… I bet we can add TESO to that list in 2 years.
]]>By: Aullahhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526944
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 11:01:22 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526944Soo much stupidity in this topic. For one, im happy for this cause I rather pay than deal with the free and stupid microtransaction non-sense.

@2 Pretty sure you will have to pay sub on console too.

]]>By: Sunshymehttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526942
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 10:52:03 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526942This is what changes the game from a potential popular MMO to a complete failure. It is a hopelessly outdated system to use monthly fees as a business model.

After a year it will be free to play, after two years it will be gone.

]]>By: NocturnalBhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/the-elder-scrolls-online-will-have-monthly-subscriptions/comment-page-1/#comment-526937
Wed, 21 Aug 2013 10:49:11 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400591#comment-526937So what does this mean for PS4/XBOne players? I’m going to take a wild guess and say their PSN/XBL Gold subscriptions aren’t going to count in any way toward this sub?

Don’t get me wrong I enjoy sub-based over F2P MMO’s but, paying 2 different subscriptions just to play on a console is likely to be a deal breaker for more than a few.